Stacy Hunter -BMW

Ch. 37: Roger and Jessica

"No. No. No. Maybe...."

I look at a sundress in a bright yellow. I hold it up before looking in the mirror at the end of the clothes rack. I hum, looking it over before shaking my head and putting it back. I see the same dress in a red and grab it out to look it over like the yellow one. I smile before nodding and continuing towards the counter. A pair of black boots catch my eye as pass them, a plaid lining making me smile.

I find my size, trying them on before humming and moving towards the register. A woman with a bored look on her face tries to smile as I set down everything I decided on. I watch her scan every item before giving me the bag as I pay. A few pictures of different models showing off clothes or accessories catch my eye, mainly ones with their hair done.

"Thank you."

I grab the bags, turning towards the exit as I think of my own hair. I haven't had my hair cut and styled in months, almost a year even. Grabbing the ends, I see the splits and uneven lengths from how it grew. I pass a sign advertising haircuts and styling for a new hairdresser in the mall. I shrug, following the sign.

I guess a haircut wouldn't hurt....

——

"Oh..my god."

I slow as I walk into the pizzeria at the mall. The same one that Natalie and I ate at before and where she managed to get a job. She's at the counter, staring at me with a nail file in hand. My arms are weighed down with countless bags of clothes and shoes for both Shawn and I. It was a guessing game with most of what I got for him but that's what tags are for.

Just make sure the little twerp doesn't damage them before I can return them...

"What the hell did you do to your hair?"

"Nice to see you too. How's work?"

"It's going a whole lot better now!"

She laughs, being passed a pizza in a box. She reaches over and rings a bell without breaking eye contact with my new hairstyle. A pimple covered fourteen year old boy rushes up in a matching work uniform, grabbing the box and rushing to to whatever table ordered it.

"Do you treat all of your customers like this? Because that's why I came in here. To order a pizza. Because I'm hungry."

"No. Just the ones I like."

"What! You like me!"

I gasp, faking shock as I try to cover my chest with one of my filled hands. Natalie rolls her eyes before holding up a notepad. She clicks the pen before looking back at me.

"What do you want."

"A medium pepperoni with extra pepperoni. What else?"

"I should have known..." she sighs, smacking a piece of gum in her mouth. "Drink?"

"Lemonade. With light ice."

She nods, clicking her pen before turning and passing the order to the cook in the back that nods my way. He looks older than my dad, making me grimace as he grabs the paper and disappears. Natalie sighs, turning towards me with a similar look before nodding towards the empty table near the back wall. We start that way as she once more looks over my hair.

"I thought you couldn't get your hair cut without permission? You know...because of your profession?"

"I just can't do something ungodly. Whatever the hell that means."

"Huh....well how do your parents like it? Considering who they are and how they can be..."
"
Considering neither are here to see or tell me otherwise, I don't give a shit." I sigh, sitting down the bags before sitting myself. "They ran off a few days ago."